Barber&#39;s razor with holder for exchangeable blades



March 14, 1967 B. A. HOLOHAN 3,303,533

BARBER'S RAZOR WITH HOLDER FOR EXCHANGEABLE BLADES Filed Oct 8, 1964 v," III, 11,15,011,

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INVENTOR. BARTH A. Halal-IAN BY 1 L J W ATTORIV/EY United States Patent 3,308,533 BARBERS RAZOR WITH HOLDER FOR EXCHANGEABLE BLADES Barth A. Holohan, 1486 Deer Path, Mountainside, NJ. 07092 Filed Oct. 8, 1964, Ser. No. 402,562 2 Claims. (CI. 30-32) This invention relates to a razor of the type generally used by barbers and having a detachable blade so that, if desired, after a certain period of use, the blade may be discarded and replaced by a new blade.

Known razors of this type such as shown in Patents No. 493,075, No. 1,166,678 and No. 2,601,388 leave much to be desired because the constructions are complicated and expensive and they do not firmly holde the blade against vibration or movement both longitudinally and transversely of the blade.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a razor blade holder of this general character which embodies novel and improved features of the construction including a clip formed of a single piece of an inherently resilient thin material that has a shank secured to a relatively rigid stock and also has an elongated hollow head formed with resilient lips at its longitudinal edges which have opposed approximately parallel flat portions of a length approximately equal to the length of the blade and spaced apart a distance less than the thickness of a substantially rectangular blade of uniform thickness to receive and resiliently hold the blade bet-ween them with the free longitudinal edges of the lips disposed close to the cutting edge of the blade, in combination with means on the stock and means on the clip coactive respectively with notches in the ends of the blade to removably fasten the blade in the clip whereby the blade can be easily and quickly inserted into and removed from the holder and shall be firmly held against bending or vibration in a direction transverse of the blade and against movements both in a direction longitudinal of the blade and in the plane of the blade.

Another object is to provide such a combination of a razor blade and a blade holder wherein the elongated hollow head has an inwardly projecting flange and the stock has a spring pressed pin to coact respectively with the notches in the ends of the blade, and the head has a Wall connecting the lips against which one longitudinal edge of the blade is pressed and held by the coaction of said flange and said pin with said notches.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a barbers razor blade holder that is simple and inexpensive in construction, durable and neat in appearance, and to obtain other advantages and results that will be brought out with the following description in conjunction with the following drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a razor having a blade holder embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the blade holder approximately on the plane of the line 22 of FIGURE 1, and showing the handle of the razor in cross section;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view approximately on the plane of line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the razor blade detached from the holder;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view on the plane of the line 55 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a similar view 6-6 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view of the outer end of the blade holder;

FIGURE 8 is a transverse sectional view on the plane of the line 8-8 of FIGURE 3, and

on the plane of the line "ice FIGURE 9 is a further enlarged transverse sectional view on the plane of the line 9-9 of FIGURE 3 with the blade removed.

Specifically describing the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the reefrence character A generally designates the blade of the holder which has one end B pivotally connected to one end of the razor handle C, this general construction and combination of the blade holder and the handle being generally the same as the one piece rigid blade and the handle of a razor of the type generally used by a barber.

The invention resides in the holder for an approximately rectangular thin blade H of uniform thickness,

the holder is shown as comprising a stock D that is approximately rectangular in cross section, preferably wit-h a rounded top side, and is rigid. Secured to one end of the stock is a blade-holding clip E which is shown as formed of thin or sheet material having inherent resiliency and provided with a shank F that is shown as approximately U-shaped in cross section and fitted over and rigidly secured to the stock D, for example by rivets 15, as best shown in FIGURES 3 and 5.

The clip also has an elongated hollow head G formed with opposed resilient lips 1 having approximately parallel portions of a length preferably at least equal to the length of the blade H and either normally in contact with each other or spaced apart a distance less than the thickness of the blade so as to firmly and resiliently frictionally clip the blade throughout its length. The lips are connected by a wall 1a and are also of such widths that their free longitudinal edges 2 are disposed in closely spaced relation to the cutting edge 3 of the blade when the blade is mounted in the holder. Preferably, the head of the clip is roughly a split cylindrical tube 4 having the lips I integral extensions of the edges of the tube as best shown in FIGURE 9. It may be desirable also to have the free edges of the lips I rounded or beveled to provide an entry groove 5 for the blade as it is inserted into the clip as shown by dot and dash lines in FIGURES 3 and 9.

For removably clamping the blade in the clip against both longitudinal movement and movement in its own plane, the blade has been shown as provided with a notch '6 in each end thereof, roughly U-shaped with a downwardly and inwardly inclined upper edge portion 60. These notches coact with elements on the head and stock respectively, at least one of which is resilient to permit the insertion and removal of the blade. As shown, one of the elements constitutes an integral flange 7 at the outer end of the head and extending into the head in spaced relation to the top wall portion of the head between the lips I as best shown in FIGURES 3 and 9. The other element comprises a locking pin 8 that is slidably mounted in a recess 9 in the stock and is normally actuated by a compression spring 10 into a position with its outer end projected from the end of the stock into the head as shown in FIGURE 3. Spring 10 is shown as interposed between the other or inner end of the pin and the base of the recess, and outward movement of the pin under the influence of the spring is limited by engagement of a stop ring 11 secured to the pin for abutment with one end wall 12 of a slot 13 intersecting the recess 9. The outer end of the pin is rounded or beveled as indicated at St: to coact with one of the notches 6 in the blade.

Normally with no blade in the holder, the pin projects into the head so that the distance between the end 8a of the pin and the flange 7 is less than the distance between the inclined edges 6a of the notches 6. At least one, and preferably both end edges of the blade have a beveled portion 13 between the corresponding notch and the longitudinal butt edge 14 of the blade opposite the cutting edge 3. When it is desired to insert a blade into the holder, one end of the blade is preferably inserted between the inner ends of the lips 1 and the blade is pushed longitudinally upwardly and inwardly between the lips until the notch 6 at the leading end of the blade engages the flange 7, whereupon the trailing end of the blade is pushed upwardly or inwardly of the head and the beveled edge portion 13 of the blade moves against the end of the pin 8 so that the pin is momentarily pressed rearwardly with a wedge action against the influence of the spring 10 and then snaps forwardly under the spring action into the notch 6. Thus the blade is pulled inwardly of the head by the engagement of the pin and flange 7 with the beveled edges 6a of the notches '6 until the butt edge 14 of the blade opposite the cutting edge 3 abuts the wall portion 1a of the head that connects the lips. To remove the blade, the heel or rear edge thereof is gripped between the fingers and pulled rearwardly to press the pin 8 into the recess until the outer end of the blade is disengaged from the flange 7, whereupon the blade may be pulled outwardly in its own plane from between the lips I and the pin 8 will be again projected into its normal position by spring 10.

Of course, if desired, in inserting the blade, it is possible to press the blade edgewise with its butt edge between the lips 1 as shown by the broken lines in FIG- URE 9. If the blade is pushed inwardly between the lips, the bevel edge portions 13 will simultaneously engage the flange 7 and pin, respectively to momentarily press the pin inwardly until said bevel edge portions pass the flange and the pin whereupon, the notches will be engaged. by the flange and the pin to lock the blade in the holder.

Manifestly, modifications and changes may be made in the structural details of the blade holder within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a barbers razor with a holder for exchangeable blades, the combination of an approximately rectangular blade of uniform thickness having a notch at each end thereof and two parallel longitudinal edges at least one of which is a cutting edge, a blade holder comprising a rigid stock of substantial thickness and a clip formed of a single piece of inherently resilient thin material, said clip including a shank fitted over and secured to one end of said stock and having a split tubular head formed with opposed resilient lips at its longitudinal edges having opposed approximately parallel portions of a length approximately equal to the length of said blade and spaced apart a distance less than the thickness of the blade to receive and resiliently hold said blade between them, said parallel portions being of widths to flatwise grip the sides of the blade with their free longitudinal edges disposed in closely spaced relation to the cutting edge of the blades, means on said stock and means on said clip coactive respectively with said notches in the ends of the blade to removably fasten the blade in the clip, the last two-named means including an inwardly projecting flange at the end of the head opposite said shank, and a reciprocable pin in the stock normally spring pressed to dispose one end thereof in the split tubular head, said flange and said pin coacting respectively with said notches in the ends of the blade, and said notches being identical providing for the insertion of the blade into the head with either notch in engagement with either said flange or said reciprocable pin.

2. In a barbers razor as defined in claim 1, said head having a wall between and connecting said lips and wherein said notches have inclined surfaces coacting with said flange and said pin, respectively, for urging the blade into the head and to press the edge of the blade opposite the cutting edge into contact with said wall between said lips.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 576,862 2/1897 Lebold -32 808,659 1/ 1906 Holland 3032 933,317 9/1909 Mallery 30'53 1,028,461 6/1912 Hetlyn 3053 2,143,053 1/1939 Collver 30-338 2,543,096 2/ 1951 Dierdorf 30-32 2,601,388 6/1952 Guarino 3032 FOREIGN PATENTS 65,751 11/1892 Germany. 420,957 12/ 1934 Great Britain. 298,305 7/1932 Italy.

W'ILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MYRON C. KRUSE, Examiner. 

1. IN A BARBER''S RAZOR WITH A HOLDER FOR EXCHANGEABLE BLADES, THE COMBINATION OF AN APPROXIMATELY RECTANGULAR BLADE OF UNIFORM THICKNESS HAVING A NOTCH AT EACH END THEREOF AND TWO PARALLEL LONGITUDINAL EDGES AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH IS A CUTTING EDGE, A BLADE HOLDER COMPRISING A RIGID STOCK OF SUBSTANTIAL THICKNESS AND A CLIP FORMED OF A SINGLE PIECE OF INHERENTLY RESILIENT THIN MATERIAL, SAID CLIP INCLUDING A SHANK FITTED OVER AND SECURED TO ONE END OF SAID STOCK AND HAVING A SPLIT TUBULAR HEAD FORMED WITH OPPOSED RESILIENT LIPS AT ITS LONGITUDINAL EDGES HAVING OPPOSED APPROXIMATELY PARALLEL PORTIONS OF A LENGTH APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE LENGTH OF SAID BLADE AND SPACED APART A DISTANCE LESS THAN THE THICKNESS OF THE BLADE TO RECEIVE AND RESILIENTLY HOLD SAID BLADE BETWEEN THEM, SAID PARALLEL PORTIONS BEING OF WIDTHS TO FLATWISE GRIP THE SIDES OF THE BLADE WITH THEIR FREE LONGITUDINAL EDGES DISPOSED IN CLOSELY SPACED RELATION TO THE CUTTING EDGE OF THE BLADES, MEANS ON SAID STOCK AND MEANS ON SAID CLIP COACTIVE RESPECTIVELY WITH SAID NOTCHES IN THE ENDS OF THE BLADE TO REMOVABLY FASTEN THE BLADE IN THE CLIP, THE LAST TWO-NAMED MEANS INCLUDING AN INWARDLY PROJECTING FLANGE AT THE END OF THE HEAD OPPOSITE SAID SHANK, AND A RECIPROCABLE PIN IN THE STOCK NORMALLY SPRING PRESSED TO DISPOSE ONE END THEREOF IN THE SPLIT TUBULAR HEAD, SAID FLANGE AND SAID PIN COACTING RESPECTIVELY WITH SAID NOTCHES IN THE ENDS OF THE BLADE, AND SAID NOTCHES BEING IDENTICAL PROVIDING FOR THE INSERTION OF THE BLADE INTO THE HEAD WITH EITHER NOTCH IN ENGAGEMENT WITH EITHER SAID FLANGE OR SAID RECIPROCABLE PIN. 